GRAPHIC: Illegal Alien Deaths at Texas Border on the Rise

File Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas5 Aug 2016

The deaths of illegal aliens in south Texas has been an issue of concern for several years. Now the Del Rio Sector is also reporting an uptick in the numbers of dead illegal aliens found by Border Patrol agents.

In June and July, Border Patrol agents working the Del Rio Sector found the remains of seven illegal aliens who died after crossing the border. It is likely they were abandoned by their human smugglers after they either became injured or could not keep up. The intense summer heat quickly puts these illegal aliens at risk of death because of both the heat and lack of water.

“These summer temperatures and scarce water resources create a very costly, often deadly reality for individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally,” Acting Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Matthew Hudak said in a written statement obtained by Breitbart Texas.

The remains of a female illegal immigrant found by Border Patrol agents in South Texas. (File Photo: Bob Price/Breitbart Texas)

It is possible that the increase in the numbers of deaths in the Del Rio Sector is, at least in part, due to the increased border security pressure in the Rio Grande Valley Sector and the Laredo Sector. Large increases in border crossings by unaccompanied minors and incomplete family units have been reported in other sectors this year.

In May, Breitbart Texas’ Lana Shadwick reported the Del Rio Sector had seen a 92 percent increase in the numbers of unaccompanied children.

Like other parts of Texas, Border Patrol agents are concerned about the loss of life and warn illegal aliens about trying to make this very dangerous journey by illegally crossing the border from Mexico. Along the Texas/Mexico border, Border Patrol officials have launched a strategy known as the Border Safety Initiative (BSI). One of the goals is to get the message out about the dangers of the journey in order to dissuade them from attempting the crossing.

The agency has also increased the numbers of agents that are trained to administer first aid and other medical attention to those who are found in distress. The Del Rio sector alone now has a total of 82 paramedics and emergency medical technician trained agents. The agents are trained to provide IVs and other medical services to the illegal aliens found in distress. They are also able to help Border Patrol agents who may be suffering the effects of the intense heat while working in their sector. The Border Patrol also provides these rescue services to members of the public in some of these areas where local emergency medical assistance is not readily available.

The Del Rio Sector, like other sectors in Texas, is also using BORSTAR agents to help in the area. BORSTAR agents are part of a specially-trained elite team that is skilled in advanced search techniques and medical assistance. They are trained in emergency medical, tactical medicine, dive and swift water rescue, and other specialized medical skills.

Officials said summer can be very deadly for illegal aliens. The seven found in the past two months is an illustration of just how dangerous it can be.

Breitbart Texas has reported extensively on the numbers of deaths that occur in South Texas, especially in Brooks County which is located 80 miles north of the Mexican border with Texas.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.